Australian counter-terror police launch landmark investigation after arson attack
An arson attack on a Melbourne defence firm is being investigated as an act of terrorism, with counter-terror police alleging the offenders had pro-Palestinian motives.
On 5 July 2025, machining manufacturer Lovitt Technologies was attacked in the early hours of the morning by arsonists who set three vehicles alight and graffitied a building.
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) — spanning the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police and ASIO — has released images of the alleged vandals, probing whether “far-left activists with anarchist and revolutionary ideologies” orchestrated the incident.
In 2023, Lovitt secured a $1.5 million grant to continue work on the global Joint Strike Fighter program — a US-led F35 fighter jet construction program of which Israel is a key recipient.
Defence Minister Richard Marles has repeatedly denied claims Australia is exporting weapons to Israel, describing the supply of F35 components as a “separate issue” involving supply chains organised by US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the Joint Strike Fighter’s prime contractor.
The JCTT has confirmed to SBS News that the terror investigation, known as Operation Braehead, is the first in Australia to specifically target pro-Palestinian activism since the October 7 attacks. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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